Meet the Staff: David Appleyard

Every week we’ll introduce you to an Envato staff member or team. This week we meet David Appleyard, manager of the AppStorm family of sites, editor of Mac.AppStorm, and editor of Phototuts+.

What is it like working for Envato, and what are some of the jobs you’ve had with us?

Working for Envato is absolutely fantastic. Although I’m not based in Australia, I work remotely for the company more or less full-time. Everyone working for this company is a pleasure to deal with, and the general atmosphere here is really positive.

I started out by coming on board at the start of 2009 as the editor of a new project launched by Collis – Mac.AppStorm. This had a fantastic first few months, and was soon followed by Web.AppStorm later in the year. The third site to launch was iPhone.AppStorm, which I also edited up until a few months ago.

As the network has grown in size, I’ve taken on the broader role of managing all the different AppStorm sites and projects.

As well as my work for AppStorm, I’m also the editor of Phototuts+, Envato’s photography tutorial website. This is great fun, and I’ve learned a great deal from all our fantastic contributors!

What sites and projects are you working on at the moment?

As well as my ongoing Mac.AppStorm editing, I’m also working on a few new projects for AppStorm. We’re gearing up to launch two new AppStorm sites in early 2011; Windows.AppStorm and Android.AppStorm. Expect to hear lots more about this soon!

Describe your workspace, computer, and software

Hardware-wise, I have an early 2009 MacBook Pro with 4GB RAM. No SSD just yet, but I’d love to get one soon. This is hooked up to a 23″ Cinema Display, and sits on a Rain Design mStand. I have a Apple Wireless Keyboard and a Magic Mouse, a ScanSnap S300M scanner to remain paper-free, and a Samson Condenser Mic for screen-casting.

My Drobo offers all the storage I could possibly need, and has really impressed me over the past six months. I also have a Time Capsule to act as a router, an iPhone 4, and an iPad.

Despite writing extensively about all the latest and greatest Mac apps, I have a fairly basic software setup. I often find that the simplest tools are the best, and don’t use a big range of fancy apps.

Everything else is launched through Alfred, and the applications I find myself using most often are Pixelmator, Fluid.app, Mail, Tweetie, Spotify, iTunes, Gabble, Aperture, Photoshop, iWork, DevonThink Pro Office, Skype, and MAMP.

My workspace consists of our apartment on the outskirts of Manchester, UK. It’s incredibly light, courtesy of four floor-to-ceiling windows, which I love. There’s nothing better than waking up to see the miserable UK weather, knowing that I don’t need to commute to work.

What does your average day look like?

I usually wake fairly early – around 6-7am. Three days a week I try to go for an early morning run, but that’s always more of a struggle during winter. I start the day by responding to all the email I’ve received since the previous day. I then work through the various tasks in OmniFocus, which could be related to all manner of things – AppStorm, Phototuts+, or anything else!

I usually feel really productive until around lunchtime, then take some time off during the early hours of the afternoon. I tend to catch up on articles from my favourite RSS feeds, or listen to one of Dan Benjamin’s fantastic podcasts. Working from home can feel a little isolated at times, so reading and listening to other people’s opinion is important.

I’ll finish “work” at 5-6pm, and cook something for dinner. I love cooking, so this is a great time of day to relax and wind down. I occasionally do a little more work in the evening – particularly if it’s a busy time of the week.

What do you do when you’re not working?

I’m very lucky to have a job that encompasses many of the things that I’m naturally interested in – I love playing with new software, writing, and online business. Because I’m naturally interested in all these things, much of my downtime still relates to work in some way or another.

I try to read quite a bit when I’m not working, though this is always a challenge – especially when it feels easier to kick back and watch a movie. We have a few great friends that live close by in Manchester as well, so often spend time with them in the evenings.

I often try to get to the countryside in some form or another at weekends. It’s great to get out of the city, and enjoy the more beautiful side of the UK.

I love Envato! I love Mac and I love Australia! You are so lucky to work in this creative, amazing and super talented environment. I’ve only been to Australia once but I got to sail in a regatta there. It was one of the most exciting things I’ve ever done. Almost as exciting as Envato.